In the process of creating a map, you will be using the game's command console. By default, this is disabled. Here is the procedure to follow to activate it. First, go to the following folder:
<aside> 📁 Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2
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Then open the config.cfg file with Notepad++. Then look for line #108 and line #143 entitled "uset_g_developer" and "uset_g_console".
For this row, replace the value "0" with the value "1".
Save and close Notepad++.
This technique allows you to have an icon to launch the editor directly from your desktop, as if it were an independent software. If you play ETS 2 or ATS without going through Steam, this is the technique you should use.
Go to the folder where the executor of your game is located (.exe). It is located in the directory where your game is installed.
<aside> 📁 [...]\Euro Truck Simulator 2\bin\win_x64\eurotrucks2.exe
</aside>
Create a shortcut of the executor and place it on your desktop.
<aside> 🖱️ Right click → Create shortcut
</aside>
Rename this new shortcut Map Editor for convenience. Then you need to add some commands to tell this shortcut to launch the editor and not the game. To do this, go to the properties :
<aside> 🖱️ Right click → Properties → Shortcut
</aside>
On this tab, find the line entitled "Target" and add to the text already entered the commands -edit -force_mods. Be sure to insert a space between each command. Finally, apply the changes before closing the window.
Now you have a shortcut, named Map Editor, which will allow you to launch the editor directly whenever you want. For Steam users, this technique allows you to avoid frequently changing the launch options of your game.
I don't recommend this technique simply because it requires you to add the commands every time you want to run the editor and, conversely, to remove them every time you want to run the game.
To open the editor via Steam, you just need to add the commands -edit -force_mods to the launch options of your game. To do this: